By Shane Callaghan

The 50-year-old must stump up a large sum of money still owed by the club dating back 10 years ago

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been ordered to guarantee €23 million of the club's €60m losses from the 2002/03 campaign, after Spain's supreme court rejected an appeal.

The court ruled in favour of Vicenc Pla, a former club member who initiated the case, with Laporta and seven of his associates made accountable for the Blaugrana's losses during his first year as president at Camp Nou.

In addition to Laporta, former club directors Alfons Godall, Jaume Ferrer, Alfonso Castro, Joan Boix, Josep Cubells, Rafael Yuste and Albert Perrin have been ordered to guarantee some €23 million, a sum which reportedly should have been guaranteed by the Barca board of directors.

However, having recorded significant annual profits for numerous other campaigns under his reign as president, Laporta and his directors were originally absolved of accountability by Spain's Professional Football League (LFP).

The LFP, however, do not have the authority to issue such an exemption, according to the Supreme Court, who deemed it a "legal duty" for guarantees to be given for professional sporting entities.